Life, 1916-06-08 · page 33 of 46
Life — June 8, 1916 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **product advertisement**, not political satire. The "Why?" headline poses a rhetorical question the ad then answers: 159 automobile manufacturers specify Timken Roller Bearings in front wheels because they prioritize durability and customer satisfaction over cost savings. The advertisement's argument is straightforward industrial marketing: Timken bearings withstand severe load, vibration, and stress better than alternatives, justifying their premium price. The ad emphasizes that major car manufacturers willingly pay more for quality at critical stress points (wheels, transmission, differential). The accompanying booklet and list of 159 manufacturers serves as social proof—establishing Timken's market dominance and credibility. This reflects early-20th-century advertising strategy: associating a product with prestigious brands to convince consumers of its superiority. There is **no political cartoon or satire** on this page—it's a straightforward B2B and consumer advertisement typical of *Life* magazine's revenue model during this era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Why do you find Timken Roller Bearings in the Front Wheels of 159 makes of Pleasure and Commercial Cars? For the same reason that you often find steel used in preference to cast iron—for longer life and better service. These 159 manufacturers know the absolute, vital necessity of bearing quality at the one place in a motor car where bearings must meet the severest combination of load, end-thrust, vibration and the pound and hammer that is ever present while the car is in motion. These car builders willingly pay more for Timken Bearings to be used at the points of hard service although they could buy others at much lower cost. They believe that the satisfac- tion of their customers more than offsets the difference in price. They know that Timken Bearings are designed to meet the fierce assaults of jolt, end-thrust and vibration—that they post- pone the day of wear for thousands of miles; that when slight oe TIMKEN ROLLER BEARINGS oo Te BE ag tar Treat tees Ss SESS SS ga na Ovos Moron Worxs Lansing, Mich SRE REN S58 and os ove Titre tener POvencaxo” Sew Wye Oretant Co Packano Moro Can Co. Detroit, Mich Genser es rein Cea are restate cae eof heal, AX mendes ve Tieary Rewings Dut ees tae” Y Puor Moron Cau Co. GASB pepe Lansing, Mich Se Cathorioea Ont Reunewick, N. J Se Tikes Bowe See ST Cites See, ape 1 een basen Eietrie Comomorsial page 8; Gasshine Gomoneseilpsee gy Pat This is just ome page of the booklet "The Companies Timken Keeps,” which tells you not only 1VHO uses Timken Bearings, but exactly WHERE they use them, wear does come, as it will in any make of bearing, it can in- stantly be overcome by a simple adjustment, making the bear- ing as good as new, without expensive replacements or renewal of parts. Send for Booklet J-9, “The Companies Timken Keeps,” see what cars have Timken Bearings, and note that they are in ry case used at one or more of the hard-service points—wheels, cifcrential, pinion, worm, transmission. With this book you'll receive’another, " The Care and Character of Bearings,” which tells how anti-friction earites are designed and used. It will give you a convincing answer to that question ‘Why?’ There are many sizes of Timken Bearings but only one quality. THE TIMKEN ROLLER BEARING COMPANY Canton, Ohio TIMKEN ROLLER BEARINGS comicbooks.com